Namport records positive growth

THE Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) recorded an increase of 252 vessel calls from April 2021 to January 2022 compared to the same period in the 2020/21 financial year.

According to the latest issue of the Namport newsletter released on 11 February, this is a 24% increase in vessel calls, which were predominantly due to increased petroleum vessels, Namibian and foreign fishing vessels, foreign tugs, and research vessels.

“An increase of 16% is also noted in vessel gross tonnages as Namport continues to record positive growth in its business dealings amid the current economic turmoil, which the world is still recovering from,” said the newsletter.

With only one-and-a-half months left of its financial year, the ports authority also announced an increase in its bulk and break bulk (BBB) volumes, with an improvement of 173 587 tonnes (5%) year on year.

“The growth is mainly due to increased exports of 251 334 tonnes (20%) of commodities such as marble, ship spares, petroleum products, and bulk salt,” said the publication.

The biggest commodity that moved through the port was bulk salt. Between April 2020 and January 2021, the port authority handled 397 837 tonnes, and between April 2021 and January 2022 at least 435 143 tonnes of bulk salt passed through the port, recording an increase of 37 306 tonnes.

During the past two decades, Namport has recorded substantial growth in both size and significance from a minor national port authority to a key regional and international role player.

With its recent substantial infrastructural investment in expanding the facilities and its capabilities at the port of Walvis Bay, it is set to increase its relevance even more.

The Namibian Ports Authority is well on the trajectory of realising its vision of becoming one of the best-performing seaports in Africa, the newsletter said.

Email: matthew@namibian.com.na